Treatment of COVID-19 Patients at Intensive Care Unit of General Hospital of Prizren

Abstract

Introduction: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and especially the intensive care unit are and can be overloaded by the hypoxemic patients, and face many challenges. Methods: There was used retrospective observational study in a Kosovo hospital, the review of characteristics, clinical course and outcomes of all consecutive patients who had respiratory failure. In addition to data collected in ICU of patients with worsening symptoms and COVID-19 confirmed, similar publications in medical journals with keywords, coronavirus, SARS-CoV2, intensive care and treatment have also been reviewed. Results: During July, August and September, 797 confirmed patients with COVID-19 were admitted to the hospital, of which ninety-four patients (11.79%) were treated in the Central ICU of Prizren General Hospital. 59.58% were male, the youngest age was 34 years old, the oldest 84 and the average was 65.53 years old. Regarding the days of stay there were 0 up to 21 days of stay, the average was 5.06 days of stay. Out of 94 patients admitted 13 (13.83%) were discharged in improved condition at home, 19 (20.21%) were transferred out of ICU and 62 (65.96%) have died. The youngest of the dead was 46 years. while the oldest was 84 y, the average age of the dead was 68.06 years old. Conclusion: It is needed to adapt management and safe treatment protocols as well as the demand for multidisciplinary treatment. Patients with COVID-19 who need to be transferred to the ICU are complex and have a high mortality rate.